Soft, juicy, and tender corned beef brisket made in an Instant Pot and finished with spicy mustard under the broiler. Making corned beef brisket in an Instant Pot is so easy and only takes about an hour and a half. This corned beef is so tender, it falls apart in your hands. You can eat it all by itself, serve it with any sides, or make sandwiches with it.
We love corned beef brisket here and make it much more often than once a year for the holiday. If you enjoy it just as much, try our simple 4-ingredient oven baked corned beef brisket. You won’t be disappointed.
INSTANT POT CORNED BEEF
We just love brisket and corned beef brisket at our house. Most of the time, our brisket doesn’t even make it to dinner time. Right after I slice it, my husband and I just stand at the kitchen counter and eat it.
Corned beef is made to pack a lot of flavor through brine already and then, it’s also cooked with a delicious combination of spices that adds even more flavor to the meat. If that’s not enough, I like to finish it off under broiler to get some caramelization on top.
When I first got my Instant Pot, my goal was to try all of our favorite recipes and meats in an Instant Pot to see the difference in textures and flavors. Pressure cooker is great for saving time on the recipes that take a long time. It’s also great for achieving great tenderness in meats.
Corned beef brisket was one of the first meats I made in my Instant Pot and let me tell you, the results were unbelievable. I knew that meat was going to achieve the tenderness that it should, but wow. The texture on this corned beef is just perfection and so much better than I expected.
Every time my husband takes a bite, he is in disbelieve that such tenderness is achieved in just an hour and a half. He says that it should be cooked for hours to be this tender.
WHAT IS CORNED BEEF BRISKET
Corned beef is simply a beef that has been cured in salty brine for many days. Curing the beef was originally done to preserve it. The term “corned beef” is synonymous to “pickled beef” because the brine used for corned beef is similar to the pickle brine.
Traditionally, corned beef is made with a brisket cut. Since it’s a tough cut of meat, it’s meat to be cooked for an extended period of time to make it tender. Sometimes, beef round or rump is used instead of brisket.
You can make your own corned beef by curing a brisket in salty brine in the refrigerator for about 10 days. After it’s been cured, cook it with additional spices, beef stock, and even beer.
Corned beef is most known to be served in dishes like Reuben sandwiches, corned beef and cabbage, and with potato hash.
WHAT SPICE MIX IS BEST
Most corned beef briskets come packaged with a bag of seasoning spices already in it. That is absolutely fine to use it if you wish but I like to mix my own. Seasoning packet doesn’t usually have a few ingredients that I like to add for more flavor and aroma.
Ingredients that I use in my corned beef seasoning are:
Mustard seed
Whole Peppercorns
Whole cloves
Allspice berries
Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
Coriander seeds
Bay leaves
I add this mix to the broth that corned beef is cooking in and the flavor can’t be beat. Aroma is amazing from the minute it starts to cook.
TIPS FOR THIS RECIPE
Number one tip that I have to making corned beef is not to add salt!
Corned beef is cured in a very salty brine so it is already quite salty. This salt transfers into the broth while cooking so the dish will be salty enough. I even rinse out the brisket when taking it out of the package to wash off some excess salt.
IF you absolutely do not like a lot of salty flavor, you can choose to do an extra step and quickly bring brisket to boil in a pot of water. This will take extra salt out. To do that, place brisket in a pot of water and bring it to boil. As soon as it starts to boil, take the brisket out.
You can opt for cooking corned beef with or without addition of beer. If you want to add beer, replace 1 cup of broth with 1 cup of beer.
Some people like to add Guinness but personally, I find that it adds bitterness to the brisket. If you are not a fan of bitter beer, choose an Ale. Killian’s is a good addition in this recipe.
CAN THIS RECIPE BE MADE IN A SLOW COOKER?
UPDATE: I’ve gotten an few questions about making this recipe in a slow cooker and I’m happy to say that it is absolutely possible and very easy.
To make this corned beef brisket in a slow cooker, spread cut onion and garlic cloves in the bottom of a Crock Pot (or any other slow cooker).
Place flat cut brisket on top of the onions, fat cap up, and add seasoning mix.
Pour in beef stock and make sure that it just covers the brisket. (Size will affect now well brisket will be covered with broth. So if using a wide slow cooker, place brisket right on the bottom with onions around it.)
Close the lid and let it slow cook on low for 6-8 hours. Note: brisket is a tougher cut of meat to it’s best if it’s cooked on low for longer period of time.
HOW TO SERVE THIS CORNED BEEF
The most common way to serve corned beef is in Corned Beef and Cabbage dish. You can cook veggies in the same broth that brisket was cooked in, after brisket is fully cooked and take out of the pot.
This corned beef brisket can actually be served with any side dish. You can easily serve it with mashed, roasted potatoes, and any roasted veggies.
Slice brisket against the grain, into thin slices and use it in sandwiches. Reuben sandwich is a great traditional way to use corned beef.
Try this corned beef in a sandwich with fried onions and horseradish sauce. This sandwich recipe will give you the recipe to make fried onions and horseradish sauce.
SOME MORE COMFORTING RECIPES TO TRY
Corned Beef Brisket In The Oven
Honey Garlic Chicken Drumsticks
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Instant Pot Corned Beef Brisket
Ingredients
- 3.5-4 lb corned beef brisket (if using my seasonign mix, discard the spice packet)
- 1 large onion
- 5 garlic cloves
- 4 cups low sodium beef broth (regular beef stock can be used)
Spice mix:
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- 1 tsp peppercorns
- 4 whole cloves
- 1 tsp allspice berries
- 1 tsp coriander seeds
- 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- 2 bay leaves
To broil:
- 1 1/2 tbsp spicy or gourmet mustard
Instructions
- Quarter onion and spread it in an instant pot. Add garlic cloves and seasoning mix.
- Place brisket on top of onions, fat cap up.
- Add beef stock.
- Close the lid of the Instant Pot and make sure it's latched. Make sure to turn the valve to "seal."
- Set Instant Pot to pressure cook on "stew/meat" setting for 75 minutes. It will take a few minutes to heat up and then start cooking.
- Once time is up, let it naturally release for 20 minutes. After that, you can carefully turn the valve and do a fast release to let remaining pressure out.
- Take brisket out and place it on the baking sheet lined with aluminum foil, fat cap up.
- Set oven to high broil setting and set the rack in the middle of the oven.
- Rub top and sides of the brisket with spicy mustard.
- Place in the oven, under the broiler and let it caramelize until browned for a couple of minutes. (Make sure to keep an eye on it so the top doesn't burn.)
- Take corned beef brisket out and make sure to slice the meat against the grain! Luckily, with the corned beef brisket, it's very easy to see the grain, you can look on the bottom since there is a fat cap on top.
Video
Notes
NOTE: Nutritional value is calculated for the whole recipe, not just for corned beef brisket.
Nutrition
Dave says
Does this recipe transfer well to a slow-cooker?
lyuba says
Hi Dave!
Absolutely! You can set it up in a slow cooker the same way and I would recommend cooking in on low for 6-8 hours. You can brown the top under the broiler after it’s been cooked.
Ira Naliboff says
Everything you ascribe to is delicious.
lyuba says
Thank you, Ira!
Jeanette says
Which cut of brisket is best, flat or point?
lyuba says
Hi Jeanette, I use a flat pretty much exclusively. It has more meat with just a little layer of fat on top 🙂
Patti Hawker says
Can this recipe be cooked on the stove top in large pot for severla hours? I read your recipe for baked Corned beef but there are no spices.
lyuba says
Hi Patti!
Yes, in the recipe for the baked one, I was trying to change the flavor pallet of the whole brisket and cooked it with mustard and sugar.
In this recipe, I was keeping the flavor pallet that’s more of a “corned beef and cabbage” kind of dish.
You can cook it on stovetop but I’m not sure how the texture will turn out.. The reason why it’s best to cook it in a slow cooker, or pressure cooker, or over is because the heat surrounds the brisket evenly and cooks it all around uniformly. Is stovetop your only choice or do you have a slow cooker?
If you have a dutch oven, you can do this brisket in the dutch oven in the oven but I’d have to get back to you on times. (Email me or message me on my blog’s FB page just in case I don’t get notified of your response.)
Jjh says
Thanks for this Post.
Now that I have an Instant Pot, I’m So excited to try this on St. Patrick’s Day.
For 50 years I Have struggled and worried about our traditional corned beef being tender and the
Vegetables mushy!
This year I will follow your instructions, and I am confident that dinner will be perfect!
All I’ll add to the menu will be some
Irish Soda Bread.
lyuba says
Wonderful!
For the vegetables, cook this corned beef per recipe, and then take it out of the instant pot and add the veggies right into the liquid the beef was cooked in. Close the instant pot lid and seal the valve. Cook veggies in instant pot on high pressure for about 5 minutes. (Cut potatoes into quarters first.) Do a quick release after the veggies have been cooked.
I will work on the Soda Bread 🙂
Kevin Quinn says
I’m going to try your recipe for the corned beef this week. My corned beef is about 5.3lbs. Should I cook it for 90 minutes in the insta-pot instead of 70 minutes?
lyuba says
Hi Kevin! Yes, if it will fit into your Instant Pot whole, you can cook it for about 15-20 minutes longer. If you don’t think it will fit, you can cut the brisket in half and try to fit the side by side. That way, you should be able to cut some cooking time off. (If you cut it in half, I’d cook it for 65-70 minutes.)
Craig says
Thanks for offering up a beer free option and for breaking down what spices to use (most say to use a “spice packet”). Will try this on this week!
Craig says
FYI, made it today. Used a 3-lb, cut in half to fit and adjusted time to 60 min w 10 natural release and it turned out great! I used your spice mix too! Thanks!
lyuba says
I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you so much for coming back and telling me, Craig!
rayso says
Hi! want to try this but the ingredients for your spice mix (delicious as it sounds) are not readily available to me. And my brisket did not come with a spice packet! What would you suggest, maybe pickling spice from McCormicks or any other ideas? This recipe sounds wonderful, I can’t wait to try!
Doug T. says
That was great! My wife and kids both loved it! I cooked the vegetables in the brisket water like you suggested and it worked to perfection. Thank you!
LyubaB says
I am so glad you liked it!!! Thanks, for letting me know! 🙂
JGee says
Made this for our family Sunday after-church lunch. Had 3.8lbs brisket I cooked for 80mins & it was perfect! The family was thrilled by the texture & taste! I pressure cooked some cabbage in the left over soup stock for 2 mins which turned out perfect as well.
Thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe! Definitely a keeper. 👍🏽
LyubaB says
Thanks, JGee! I am so glad you liked it 🙂
Terry B. says
I usually prepare about 8lbs of corned beef for our annual dinner. I want to use my instant Pot this time. What do you think of Instant Potting the corned beef (in two batches) a day ahead and finishing them off in the oven with the glaze the next day?
lyuba says
Absolutely! You can do that. The only thing I would suggest is the next day, reheat the corned beefs first in the oven and then do the glaze. Wrap each one in foil, not too tight, and reheat at 325. Then do the glaze on top as instructed in the recipe 🙂
Patsy Johnson says
This was Amazing! Best corned beef ever!
LyubaB says
I am so glad you liked it, Patsy!
Corny McBeefington says
3.5-4 lb corned beef brisket (if using my seasonign mix)- your brain is moving faster than your fingers! Just wanted to point out the typo! Making this now, will update with results!
ardith says
I only have a 1 1/2 lb brisket.. should I still cook it for 85 minutes?
LyubaB says
That is a very small brisket so I would cut the cooking time in half also know that it will shrink while it cooks so that size brisket is going to fed one maybe two people.